Canada: Spreading Wealth

Red Deer, Alta., is a Canadian farm center of
only 25,000 population. Yet in a single day recently, Red Deer's
merchants rang up $1,000,000 in sales to Christmas-shopping prairie
farmers. Some bought second and third TV sets; their wives got leopard
jackets ("much choicer than mink") and Russian squirrel coats. A local
Chrysler dealer had 68 paid-up back orders for cars, while the Ford man
stopped taking orders altogether "until we catch up." For winter
vacations, Red Deer's travel agents recommend Hawaii, Hong Kong, the
West Indies. When summer comes, the In thing in prairie status symbols
will be tractors...